Repetition and Reflection
by Sweet Christabel
Summary: After facing Vader on Mustafar, Obi-Wan recalls the last time he lost someone he loved, how he fell for Sabé whilst protecting her as decoy Queen and how he discovered that her reasons for becoming a handmaiden were vastly different than he thought.
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: **Star Wars does not belong to me, unfortunately. I have neither the money for it, nor the glory, nor a liking for plaid shirts. Don't sue me, I'm poor.**  
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**Author's Note: **Hello, here's my latest offering to the Sobiwan world. It came about purely through my interest in seeing if I could make Sabé horrible. I couldn't make her as horrible as I initially intended. Obi-Wan is too good, noble and kind to fall in love with someone horrible. So instead she's misguided and exploited, which was also interesting to explore. This will be a three-part story with a prologue. Reviews are very welcome : )

**Repetition and Reflection.**

**Prologue.**

_Mustafar._

_Present day._

Pain was all anyone felt on Mustafar that day. The pain the bad felt was physical and self-loathing. The good suffered the pain of heartbreak. The noble felt the pain of betrayal and the tugging of old memories.

It was an eternal walk back to the ship for Obi-Wan Kenobi. Between the sleek craft that would bear him away and the evil he was fleeing from lay a ten-minute walk, where his memories ambushed him. An image flashed before his eyes of Anakin…Vader crawling up the banks of the lava flow, legs and arm severed. A splash of sulphur had caught the Sith Lord, setting the remnants of his tunic alight. The flames had spread quickly, further cauterising the wounds, sealing his fate. Vader had screamed his hate. Obi-Wan had looked away.

His own words came back to him, an echo of his anguished shout down the bank.

_You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you. _

Had he then realised the awful repetition he was certain he wouldn't have said it. But the words had already been said, already set in motion the memories…


	2. Part One

**A/N: **Something I forgot to mention in the first author's note; all the times at the beginning of the sections are written in relation to Obi-Wan's present day, which is after the battle on Mustafar. For example, anything happening during episode one is referred to as thirteen years ago.

**Repetition and Reflection.**

**Part One. **

_Tatooine._

_Thirteen years ago._

"Tatooine. A planet that law forgot."

Obi-Wan laughed briefly at his own witticism, staring out at the endless dunes of sand. Over the horizon he could spot the distant town that had sparked the interest of his Master and the Queen of Naboo.

The girl beside him laughed too, trickling sand between her white-nailed fingertips. "You could market that as a travel slogan," she said.

"Oh I don't think so. Travel slogans are supposed to encourage visitors."

"It would encourage some. Rogues, bounty hunters, smugglers. Just not tourists." She laughed again. Her laugh was a soft, easy one and, Obi-Wan quickly discovered, very infectious.

"Honestly," he said, feigning a grumble, "I don't think the real Queen would act so undignified."

She smirked at that. "Not in front of a Jedi, certainly." She gestured to the large bundle of fabric she was cradling. "I'm holding up too much skirt and showing too much leg."

Her legs were dangling off the edge of the entry ramp that they were sitting on, her bare feet hanging just above the desert. Her shoes lay beside her in a pile of sand that had found its way to the ship. Her painted face wore a grin. It was, to say the least, a rather bizarre sight.

"Let me put it this way, it's cooler out here in the shade than it is in there."

"It's not overly warm in there."

"Not for you, perhaps, but I happen to be wearing about six thousand layers, not to mention this ghastly feathered monstrosity that Rabé has the nerve to call a headdress, plus a gallon of face paint that I'm not allowed to touch, which is really irritating because my nose has been itching for the past twenty minutes. Don't you try and tell me it's not hot."

Obi-Wan burst out laughing. "That's what you get for pretending to be the Queen. You suffer for your image or in your case, roll up your sleeves, bundle up your skirts and look completely ridiculous."

"Thank you for the vote of confidence. I fooled you well enough when we first met."

He smiled. "Yes, you looked proper then."

Her face lost its mischief and for a moment became quite serious. "Yes. That wasn't quite the way I though my resemblance to her Highness would be used."

He raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

She blinked. "Nothing."

To her right, just inside the ship, a single Naboo guard frowned then moved into view. "Your Highness, might I have a word with you?"

She turned, swiftly dropping her skirt. "Yes, Commander, of course."

She had adopted her Queen Amidala voice for this reply and Obi-Wan could see the regal persona taking over. He rose to help her to her feet and held her balanced as she put her shoes back on.

"Thank you, Jedi Kenobi."

"My pleasure."

Then she nodded to him and entered the dim interior of the ship. The guard led her through the maze of corridors and down into the secluded hold. Moving quickly, he turned and backed her against the wall. She let out a gasp.

"Sharing our secrets with the Jedi, were you, your Highness?"

"No! For Gods' sakes, Derrin, let me go!"

"Don't get soft on me, Sabé. We have a job to do here. You agreed."

"I know what I agreed. I didn't consent to get caught up in this war." She pushed against his chest, shoving him backwards. "But we are caught up in it and we must do our bit to get through it."

Derrin glared at the decoy Queen with bitter contempt. "Give me a break. Just because you're dressed as Queen Amidala doesn't make you eligible to give motivational speeches. You were chosen for this job for the way you look, nothing more."

"I know."

"I don't like the way you're being all chummy with the Jedi either. Telling him who you really were."

"He guessed," Sabé defended. "You can't fool a Jedi Knight, even a Padawan. Not for long anyway."

"What else have you told him?" Derrin demanded.

"Nothing, I swear, " Sabé said with a glare. "Back off. Let me do my job."

"What, portraying the girl Queen?"

She ignored the sarcastic tone in his voice. "Yes. Because if I don't your whole little plan will fall apart. And we wouldn't want that, would we?" She walked serenely past and exited the hold, wondering why she had agreed to work with a man she hated. It had started several months ago, when Padmé Amidala had just been elected Queen.

_Naboo._

_Thirteen years and five months ago._

It began innocently with a passing comment in Derrin's hearing before Sabé had ever known him. She had gathered with her family to hear Amidala give a speech. Her father had looked at her and said, "She looks like you, Sabé."

Nothing more was said on the subject until Derrin tracked Sabé down. "I have a proposition for you," he had said when she opened the door.

Sabé had long known that her father's business was not what it seemed. In truth, the group of journalists for the _Theed Express _newspaper were an elaborate band of con artists. Sabé's father was one of three ringleaders. Derrin was another. She had longed to work for them since she was ten. It was all so terribly glamorous and exciting. Her father appreciated her enthusiasm and began training her as soon as she came of age at thirteen. Of course, reality was not as she had imagined, but she still enjoyed practicing the skills she had acquired.

She was acquainted with a number of the group, but many still turned up randomly at their house, demanding to talk to Sabé's father. Mostly when this occurred it was no-one she knew, nor were they calling for social reasons. And ninety-nine point nine times out of a hundred it was nothing to do with her.

Until Derrin. She knew him by reputation. He was Derrin Mikla, suave, dashing and a reported thief with a five-thousand credit price on his head in the Outer Rim. As soon as she had hit the door panel, he had smiled at her. It was not a nice smile. It had reminded her, somewhat obscurely, of the kind of smile a Colo-claw might give a smaller fish before devouring it.

After his opening statement she had stood staring at him, wondering what in the galaxy he was talking about. "Me?" she had said rather stupidly. "Not Father? Or Jon or Marius?"

"Not your father or your brothers. You."

"But you don't even know me."

"I know a fair bit. Sabé Kestra Silvestri, aged seventeen and a half, born in Theed Public Infirmary, ward seven, on–"

"Okay, okay. You know stats, good for you. What do you want?"

He smiled again. "I want you."

Sabé's father, Seb, appeared out of a nearby doorway and came to stand behind her. "Derrin, I respect you a lot, but I don't want you making inappropriate demands of my daughter."

Derrin smirked. "I wasn't, Seb. I want her for an important job."

"What job?" Sabé asked.

"All in good time. If I may come in, I'll explain."

They led him into the tiny kitchen where they all sat down at the table.

"Right," Derrin began, combing a hand through his shoulder-length hair. "I have, as I said, a proposition for Sabé."

Seb raised an eyebrow. "What are you proposing?"

Derrin clasped his hands, leaning his elbows on the table. "I've had several job opportunities offered to me, all centring around the Queen. Firstly." He pulled a holocube from his pocket and thumbed the switch. An image materialised of a large, round gemstone. "The Jewel of Zenda," he informed them. "Worth more than any other jewel on the planet."

"You want to steal it, I suppose?" Seb said.

"Yes and replace it with this." His hand disappeared into his pocket once more, this time retrieving a ruby-red stone. "It's coloured transparisteel."

Sabé picked it up. "Yes and you can tell. It's got a seam on the back of it."

"Ah, but no-one will notice. The real jewel is currently situated in one of Queen Amidala's headdresses."

"Where do I come into this?"

"Well, my dear Sabé, you are going to replace one of her handmaidens."

Sabé bristled as his calling her 'dear', but tried not to let her irritation show. "Replace?"

"Yes. My very brief _acquaintance_, Liané, is going to have to leave soon."

"Why?"

He grinned. "She's pregnant."

Sabé's eyes widened and Seb laughed. "You really do stop at nothing, don't you?"

"How do you think I got where I am now?"

"How do you know the palace will accept me as a replacement?" Sabé asked.

"Because you look identical to the Queen. They won't pass up the opportunity of a ready-made decoy."

"Decoy?" Sabé repeated vigorously.

From behind the doorframe suddenly came Sabé's two older brothers, Jon and Marius. They had clearly been listening. They greeted Derrin and congratulated him, saying they could guess where his plan was going.

Derrin laughed. "No, not this time, boys. I'd put money on it, only I won't need it from you if these jobs go well." Turning his attention back to their sister, he said, "So, that's plan one. Plan two involves these." He emptied a handful of replica Zenda gems onto the table. Sabé counted six in total.

"What are you going to do with those?" Marius asked.

"I have six honchos from six planets waiting for me on this operation. Mostly Outer Rim stuff, of course. I've contacted them, agreeing to steal the Jewel of Zenda for them for a pretty price."

Jon let out a whoop, clapping Derrin on the back. "Then our band rakes in six fees plus what you'd get for selling the real jewel via the black market."

Derrin nodded, smiling. The group rule of sharing all profit was one that, astonishingly, everyone stuck to. Sabé was frequently surprised at their obscure sense of loyalty considering how devious and dishonest they all were.

"So that's plan two," Seb said, his pride in Derrin, who had begun as his protégé, rapidly increasing. "What's plan three?"

"Plan three is the big one. The one I'll most need Sabé's help with."

The Silvestri family all watched him, awaiting his next words.

"I've been contacted by a man of some importance. He said he knew of my reputation as a thief and he wanted me to steal something big for him."

"And what was that?" Sabé enquired.

"Queen Amidala."

Jaws dropped. "You can't abduct the Queen of Naboo!" Sabé exclaimed. "People would know it was you, for a start."

"That's where you really come into this," Derrin replied calmly. "You will replace her for a short while."

"What? But I'm no politician."

"They'll train you for that. And it will only be for a week or so. Then you have to die."

"What?" a number of voices cried.

"Publicly die, using a sleeping draught I acquired from Klatooine. My buyer made it very clear that he didn't expect the Queen to come back."

"Why? Why does he want her?"

"Come on, he's not going to tell me that. He was very cryptic. He just said he needed the Queen abducted. I've been wondering how to do it, then I overheard you, Seb, pointing out that Sabé looked like Amidala and the plan fell into place."

"But what about the palace workers?" Sabé said. "They'll know I'm not really the Queen, even if the public don't."

"They'll know the Queen's gone missing. They'll want to use you to hide that fact from the public."

There was a brief silence in the kitchen. Then Jon asked, "How much are you getting from this mystery man?"

"Ten million."

There was another silence, rapidly followed by cheers from the young men. "You've really done it this time, haven't you?" Seb said.

Derrin simply smiled. "I do believe I have."

_Tatooine._

_Thirteen years ago._

Snapping back to reality, Sabé walked quickly away from the hold, sighing at the memory of how she'd managed to get herself into this mess. She hadn't really liked Derrin then and she liked him even less now. After she had agreed to the plans, having been promised a full share of the profit, he had wasted no time securing her position as handmaiden. Within a few weeks plans one and two had been smoothly executed.

One week later the Trade Federation invaded Naboo. Amidala had addressed the Neimoidian Viceroy wearing the fake Zenda headdress. That had amused Sabé, as Derrin had informed her that a crime lord on Cato Neimoidia had been one of his buyers.

The invasion, however, caused upheaval in their plans. Derrin had been keeping close watch on Sabé ever since she had entered the palace. She hated that. Also, despite her father's words, he had been making advances on her. He did not care for her, she knew. She was just another conquest. One more in a long line of simpering women, many of which had once been her friends. In some ways she was almost glad for the interruption the invasion provided.

When the Federation battle droids came to escort 'the Queen' to an interrogation camp, Derrin hurriedly attacked a Naboo guard and stole the uniform, slipping out of an alley to join the back of the group as they were marched through the streets.

Then the Jedi had intervened, got them all on board the ship and flown them past the blockade. Now they were stuck on Tatooine to make repairs to the damage the Federation's guns had caused.

It had been an eventful day to say the least. Meeting Obi-Wan had certainly been one of the better moments. The instant he had jumped from the walkway and cut down the battle droids he had caught her attention. After Amidala and Obi-Wan's Master had left for Mos Espa, he had entered the Royal Chamber and asked her if she was quite comfortable. His effortless charm and gentlemanly manner made her inwardly smile, despite the situation. She didn't realise, until it happened, just how relieved she was when he discovered her true identity. It was only after this that they had really become friends.

Coming out of her reverie, Sabé found herself at the ship's entry hatch again. Obi-Wan was still there. He glanced up and smiled at her. She smiled back.

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**A/N: **Next chapter, Obi-Wan and Sabé's relationship develops further. 


	3. Part Two

**A/N: **Thank you to my reviewers and lurkers. Hope you like part two : )**  
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**Repetition and Reflection.  
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**Part**** Two.**

_Mustafar._

_Present day._

Obi-Wan remembered when Sabé had related the story of how she had become involved in Derrin Mikla's plan. He had watched her with pained eyes as she sat, pale and small in her prison cell. She had relayed it smoothly and quietly. So quietly, in fact, that he had found himself standing directly in front of the bars, as close as he could get without touching the buzzing force fields.

He glanced up at the distant ship, standing waiting on the landing platform where Padmé had left it. He feared for her and her unborn child. As he trudged across the burnt black rock, his reflections turned back again to the woman whose resemblance to her had proved her exploitation and downfall.

_Orbit above Coruscant._

_Thirteen years ago._

Sabé's increasing friendship with Obi-Wan was making the situation easier to bear day by day. They had left Tatooine having acquired the parts they needed, and picked up a young slave boy called Anakin Skywalker. Jedi Master Qui-Gon was convinced that he was unusually strong in the Force. Sabé wasn't entirely clear on why this was important, but she hid her confusion behind Amidala's graciousness.

It had not taken Obi-Wan long to discern that Sabé was not the real Queen. It was not that her portrayal was poor. Quite the opposite. But to fool someone who could read Force signatures that were as distinctive as fingerprints was no easy task, certainly one far beneath a Naboo girl with no Force abilities. As soon as it was out in the open and he had sworn secrecy, things became much pleasanter.

Sabé found herself fascinated by the Jedi way of life. Their understanding of morals and a belief in the goodness of people was unlike anything she had ever heard, having grown up as she had with a family of con artists. Obi-Wan was without a doubt the most noble and virtuous person she had ever met. He entranced her.

As good as she was at hiding her emotions on the surface, Obi-Wan had been able to detect something that looked like aversion in her eyes when the Nabooian commander had asked to speak with her. And her complete change of countenance had nothing to do with her role of Queen taking over again. He had made a vow to himself to discover what had caused her to act that way, although he couldn't for the life of him fathom why he should care as much as he did.

_Mustafar._

_Present day._

As Obi-Wan walked along the lava banks he sighed deeply, vividly remembering the moment he had made that vow. Little had his naïve twenty-five-year-old self known that he would get the story out of her in a prison cell.

He remembered her smile, the sound of her laugh, her bubbly personality. It was not difficult to see how he had been captivated. And he hadn't thought her entirely indifferent either.

_Coruscant._

_Thirteen years ago._

Sabé was certainly not indifferent. When they reached Coruscant, Padmé gave her the day off and became Queen Amidala once again. Delighted at the prospect of some time away from Derrin's intrusively watchful gaze, she changed and made her way out for a walk.

An argument with Qui-Gon resulted in Obi-Wan's brief departure from the Jedi Temple and he meandered around Coruscant's pleasanter streets in order to cool off. He knew his way around quite well, as he had often come out for walks as a child. It had been perfectly safe if you knew where to go. Luckily, Obi-Wan had and still did. Sabé, however, could boast being hopelessly lost.

Obi-Wan spotted her at once. She was the only person on the street who looked up at the name signs. Something about her seemed familiar, but he couldn't put his finger on what. She was simply but elegantly dressed in a crimson cloak, and her russet hair hung in one long braid. Something compelled him to follow her as she made her way through the crowds. He was especially glad he had done so when she took a wrong turning and ended up in a less civilised part of Coruscant. She had not been there five minutes before being approached by several unlawful-looking men.

He hurriedly walked up to her, placed a hand under her elbow and said, "There you are. I've been looking everywhere for you."

She looked up at him, surprise registering in her eyes. The men backed off a little, recognising him as a Jedi and realising that messing with one was probably not the best of ideas.

Obi-Wan shot them a stern look for good measure before leaving. "You shouldn't go down there," he commented to his companion. "It's not a respectable part of town."

"I'll remember that," she said.

He stopped walking at the sound of her voice and studied her. "Sabé?"

She smiled. "Yes, it's me."

"Great Force, so that's what you look like under that guise. I didn't expect you to be so…" _Beautiful_, his mind finished for him.

"So what?"

"Tanned," he improvised, flashing her a grin.

"Has Master Jinn given you time off?" she asked, feeling happier at his presence than she would have given herself credit for.

"We had a disagreement about Anakin. I needed to escape for a bit while the Council are testing him. I'll go back in time to hear their report, but I really needed to get out for a while."

"When will that be?"

"A couple of hours at least."

"I have to be back in two hours," Sabé said. "The Queen will have returned from the Senate by then."

Obi-Wan smiled at the happy coincidence. "If you had no other plans for your time off, would you care to accompany me?"

She nodded. "How shall we kill the time?"

He grinned. "I know a good diner."

An hour and a half later saw Obi-Wan and Sabé making their way back to 500 Republica, where Senator Palpatine was lending the Naboo Royal party a suite in his apartments. They were both laughing over a man in the diner, who had suddenly dropped to one knee in the middle of the floor and proceeded to reel off the most unromantic proposal in history to his Twi'lek sweetheart.

"I mean, you just don't go on for ten minutes about why your parents consider the match to be a bad one," Sabé said, smirking as they approached the empty apartment.

"It didn't seem to affect the lady's answer though, did it?"

"No," she replied, digging out her card key and letting them into the dimly lit room. "That was surprising. Although I can't pretend to know what Twi'leks find romantic."

They both laughed once more and then Sabé couldn't help sniggering again at her inability to find the panel for the lighting. "Ah wait. It's over here."

She headed over and reached out to hit the switch. Before she could do so a hand closed over hers, stopping her. She suddenly became very aware of Obi-Wan standing close behind her. Slowly she turned around. The dim light of the sunset outside illuminated one side of his face in a soft orange glow. Still holding her hand, he simply stared at her for a moment. She stared back. Then, without word or ceremony, he leaned in and kissed her.

Her heart leapt and she kissed him back, realising just how long she had been wishing for it to happen. Eventually, and with some reluctance, he pulled away and lightly traced a finger down her cheek. "I must go," he said simply.

"Yes," she added.

He smiled at her, squeezed her hand and then he was gone. Sabé stood where she was for several minutes, playing the events over in her head, trying to determine what her feelings on the matter were. Eventually she moved herself over to a chair and collapsed on it.

"What have I done?" she muttered out loud. "Stupid, stupid girl."

The opening of the doors startled her to her feet. Queen Amidala sailed in, followed by Rabé, Eirtaé and two guards, one of which, Sabé noted with distaste, was Derrin.

"Sabé," Padmé began. "What are you doing sitting in the dark?"

"Nothing. I had a headache, that's all. I had a glass of water and a doze and it's gone now." The party looked convinced at this story, even Derrin. Sabé had always been a convincing liar.

"Glad to hear it. Guards, thank you for your escort. Please stand on watch outside the door."

The two left, much to Sabé's relief. 'Gods, if Derrin knew,' she thought.

But the events that followed took precedence over that reflection and what had occurred with Obi-Wan. It all seemed to happen so fast. There was the refusal of Anakin's training, which furthered the rift between Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan, then Padmé's decision to return to Naboo and her appeal to the Gungans for help. Sabé was decoying at the time, but Padmé revealed her true identity as a symbol of trust. Then there was the battle itself. It was a bittersweet victory and many lives were lost. Qui-Gon was one of them, but unfortunately for Sabé, Derrin was not.

She was surprised at how quickly Obi-Wan appeared to cope with his Master's loss. He informed her that it was the Jedi way, but despite his handling of the situation, it was clear that it had deeply affected him. After a moving cremation ceremony he seemed to find the closure he needed. Padmé was hesitant to hold the celebration parade so close to it, but Obi-Wan assured her it was what Qui-Gon would have wanted.

So the preparations went ahead. Padmé and the handmaidens did the majority of the initial planning. At every opportunity Derrin complained of the delay it was causing to his job. The more Sabé thought about it, the more she was convinced that it wasn't going to work. She tried several times to approach Derrin on the subject, but she always lost her nerve at the last minute.

Eventually, however, a chance arose when he happened upon her in the gardens. When she had managed to spit out what she had wanted to say, he shot her a look that caused her heart to give a flutter of fear. She had never been afraid of him before. Wary, perhaps, but not afraid. But then again she had never seen him so obsessed with a job before. Over recent days he had developed a narrow, one-track mind and focused on nothing else. It scared her how desperate he had become.

"Are you backing out?" he asked in a low, almost dangerous tone.

"I'm just saying that now there are too many people that know about the decoy secret. It's not safe to go ahead with it, can't you see that? Your greed is blinding you and I almost let it blind me. We should have planned it better."

He gave her an incredulous look. "Please. Are you of all people seriously pointing out flaws in my plan?"

She shrugged. "Somebody has to. You're not all powerful, despite what you might think. Not everybody sees you as some kind of con superstar. I'll learn to be better than you, you see if I don't. I'm my father's daughter."

He raised a hand to her cheek and she flinched. "You forget, your father's rank in our little band is no higher than mine."

"No lower either," she retorted, trying to move away from his touch, silently cursing when her back connected with the palace wall. "And if he knew how you've been treating me I don't think he'd be best pleased."

"You walk away from this, you walk away from your share of the profit. Do you really want to bring that shame on your family name? Seb Silvestri's daughter, the coward."

She stared into the cold blue of his eyes and said nothing, confident that all the swear words she wanted to snap at him could be clearly seen in her gaze. He moved closer, the warmth of his breath gracing her cheek. She shifted uncomfortably against the wall.

"Don't back out, Sabé. If you do, I can guarantee you will regret it."

"Don't threaten me," she whispered. "I can expose you to Panaka. So far he just assumes that you're a new recruit he's forgotten about. I can…correct him, shall we say."

"And I can expose you," he fired back. "I can tell everyone that the Queen's decoy handmaiden is nothing but a thieving con artist."

"You expose me, you expose yourself," she hissed.

They shared a glare, then Derrin smirked. "I'm used to getting what I want."

"That's a shame, considering that your plan isn't going to work."

He let out an exasperated sigh. "In that case I'll just have to simplify it a bit. A straightforward abduction and leave it at that. You can provide me with an alibi."

She met his eyes, wishing he would back off. "Oh, I will. Anything to speed up this job and get away from your constant scrutiny."

"Look," he said, sliding a hand down her neck, "in a business sense I'm above you, so do yourself a favour and remember that. Just do as you're told."

Approaching footsteps caused him to let her go and make a hasty departure. Sabé fought hard against the tears that started to well up, but couldn't help hiding her face in her hands, irritated that she hadn't been able to keep her composure.

Obi-Wan didn't know what had caused him to come out for a stroll in the gardens, but he had suddenly felt a strong desire to venture outside. The Force had tugged him down a particular path until he heard the murmur of voices. Parting the leaves of the walkway's lining of tikki bushes, he spotted Sabé with a Naboo guard. The guard's hand rested on her cheek and he was standing very close. Obi-Wan watched, stung by jealousy, torn between the feeling itself and the knowledge that he really shouldn't be feeling it. Then he noticed Sabé's defensive body language and the expression on her face. He also realised that the guard was the same man that she had seemed wary of on the ship on Tatooine.

Seeing that Sabé looked uncomfortable, he began walking again, using the Force to amplify his steps. When he rounded the end of the walkway, the guard was gone and Sabé was quietly weeping. He hurried to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. Looking around, he led her to the most private place he could think of, correctly guessing that she required somewhere away from prying eyes.

So they entered the Palace Garden's extensive maze and located a stone bench in a dead end. There Obi-Wan sat down, holding Sabé against him as the handmaiden cried into his shoulder. He didn't say anything, simply let her shed her tears.

Sabé appreciated the gesture and the feel of his arm around her waist. She cried for all the mistakes she'd made and the embarrassment she felt at the fact she was crying at all. She was thankful for Obi-Wan's silent support, knowing full well that had she broken down in front of her fellow handmaidens it would have resulted in fuss and cooing.

Eventually he asked the inevitable question. "What's wrong?"

She sniffed, pondering her answer. For a brief moment she wanted to tell him everything. "I…can't say."

"Was it anything to do with the man who was with you?" His tone remained gentle despite the dislike in his eyes.

She nodded. Denying it would have been pointless.

"Was he threatening you?"

"No. It was just unwanted attention."

He pushed her back a little so he could see her face. "Sabé, I'd like to think I know you better than that. You're not the type who would get upset by something that trivial."

She bit her lip and looked down at her hand, where it rested in his. 'When had that happened?' she wondered briefly.

"I was reflecting," she said eventually, "on my mistakes. I came here simply to do my job."

He frowned. "Is there something affecting it?"

"Yes. There is now. I've been so stupid."

"What have you done that is so terrible?"

'So many things,' she thought to herself. But she didn't need to go into all that. He only needed to know the one thing that really mattered. "I fell in love."

From the expression on his face she could tell he knew whom she was referring to. After all, she had been less than cryptic.

"I always thought about it as a child," she went on. "But I didn't expect it to happen so quickly. Now I've gone and complicated everything."

He let go of her hand and took the time to wipe her tears away before standing up and strolling a few steps.

"Anything that happened between you and…this man would never be permitted," he said softly. "Jedi aren't supposed to fall in love."

"I know." She stood, watching the back of his head. "Thank you for your support, Jedi Kenobi," she said in a quiet tone. "I appreciate it." It could have been bitter if she had chosen, but she couldn't be irritated with him for following his beliefs.

She began to walk out, making sure not to brush against him as she moved past his still figure. He reached out and caught her hand, stopping her in her tracks. She looked round at him, a questioning expression on her face.

"Jedi Kenobi cannot love," he told her austerely. "But Obi-Wan Kenobi cannot help it."

She turned to face him and stepped forward to lean her head against his chest. He slipped his arms around her and placed a kiss on her hair. Whatever his future as a Jedi held in store for him, he would enjoy this moment simply as a man.

_Mustafar._

_Present Day._

Obi-Wan remembered that moment well. How could he forget it? It was the blissful calm before the storm. In a moment of brief anger, he kicked a fragment of stone into the lava flow. It disappeared with a hiss.

The day following the events in the gardens had been the celebration parade. It had passed flawlessly and Padmé had given everyone half the next day off for recovery from the large amount of partying. Everything had been going superbly and Obi-Wan wondered in hindsight how he could ever have been so naïve as to think it would continue doing so.

That night the crunch time came.

* * *

**A/N: **Next chapter; everything falls apart. 


	4. Part Three

**A/N: **Part three is up. Sorry it took so long, exam stress and related illness delayed me. Hope you like it. Thanks again to all reviewers and lurkers : )**  
**

**Repetition and Reflection.**

**Part Three.**

_Naboo._

_Thirteen years ago. _

Derrin had approached Sabé and informed her that the abduction was planned for the night following that of the celebration. Sabé agreed, eager to get away from him as quickly as possible. She could not help feeling guilty about how Obi-Wan would feel if he knew.

That evening she got up after the other handmaidens had fallen asleep and dressed in a nightgown identical to the Queen's. She had dampened and braided her hair so that it curled like Padmé's when she undid it.

Then she stole through the palace corridors to Obi-Wan and Anakin's room. Bending over the Jedi Knight she placed a kiss on his forehead and whispered, "I'm so sorry, love." She knew it was very likely she would never see him again.

She made a quick exit, her mind spinning with a debate between her moral conscience and the knowledge that conning was probably what she would end up doing in life and so she should get used to it.

As the door slid silently shut behind her, Obi-Wan opened his eyes, glad that she hadn't noticed the fact that he still had his boots on. She was definitely hiding something. She did not give any plans away, but she had been very focussed on this night. Her anxiety radiated off her in waves.

Making her way down the corridor, Sabé was unaware that Obi-Wan had stirred. Task in mind, she hurried to Padmé's room. Derrin was outside the door on night shift. Another guard was with him. This was where her decoy skills would come into play, for vastly different reasons than before.

As she approached, Derrin bowed and said in a hushed tone, "Your Highness."

The other guard looked confused. "Forgive me, your Highness, but I don't remember seeing you leave your chambers."

"Falling asleep on duty, Commander?" Sabé said in her 'Amidala voice'. "That won't do. Go back to your quarters. I'll just have the one guard this evening."

"But–"

"That's an order."

The Commander bowed and departed.

"You took your time," Derrin muttered.

"Just shut up," she snapped. "I just want to get this over with."

He shot her a glare and handed her a pistol. Silently, they entered Padmé's room and made their way over to where the young Queen lay peacefully asleep. Sabé took the right side and Derrin the left. Choosing his movements carefully, he leaned in and clapped one hand over Padmé's mouth, holding his blaster up against her head with the other. Her eyes shot open and widened with shock. She made a muffled cry under his hand. Derrin dragged her out of bed and out of reach of her panic button.

"If you make one wrong move, your Highness, I'll shoot."

Sabé raised an eyebrow. She knew he had been instructed to deliver undamaged goods.

"Sabé, you lead. If you see anyone, shoot them."

Padmé's eyes settled on her decoy. Sabé could read surprise and disappointment in them. "I don't need you to tell me what to do," she said.

"Fine. Just get us up to the roof."

They met two guards on night patrol out in the corridor who immediately drew their weapons.

"She's an impostor!" Sabé told them.

It confused the guards long enough for Derrin to take them down. They reached the roof at last, where Derrin had hidden a speeder. Sabé was biting her lip, thinking about how Padmé had become a friend over the weeks and was not really someone who deserved whatever Derrin's buyers would want her for. As soon as they were outside, Derrin began scolding her for her hesitation in firing at the guards.

"You're not in charge of me!" she cried.

"But I am in charge of this job and by the Gods, Sabé, I won't have some useless beginner ruin it for me."

She moved quickly, bringing her blaster up level with his head. Truth be told, she had wanted to do so for quite some time now. Having Padmé there to observe seemed to give her some degree of confidence.

"Now what will you do?" he asked. "You shoot me. Then what? Skip off into the sunset with your Jedi?"

Eyes darting to meet hers, Padmé gave her a pleading look.

"No," she said softly. With a quick regretful look at Padmé, Sabé adjusted her aim and shot the Queen in the leg. Not only would it slow Derrin down somewhat, it would also make him appear worse in front of his buyers.

Padmé crumpled to the ground with a cry and Derrin yelled, "No! You fool! She was supposed to be unharmed!"

"I know," she replied simply.

Derrin held his blaster up to her forehead just as she held hers up to his. That was how Obi-Wan found them.

"Now what, Sabé," Derrin taunted. "You take me down, I take you down. Is it really worth it?"

Obi-Wan halted, watching, a look of disbelief on his face. Derrin was a little taken aback by Sabé's unwavering glare and tried goading her again.

"Your Jedi love isn't being much of a rescuer, is he? It's sad really, considering the Jedi reputation. Who would've thought they'd be so useless in a critical situation?"

Eyes flashing, Sabé brought her knee up into his stomach, ducking simultaneously to avoid his reaction shot. The bolt grazed her shoulder and she gasped. Derrin launched himself at her and a vicious fist fight ensued.

Meanwhile, Obi-Wan hurried to Padmé to check that she was alright before looking for a way to halt the opponents. A blind rage had taken over Sabé and all she could think about was wiping the smug look off Derrin's face. Before she knew it, she had him backed up against the roof barrier, her blaster still in her hand and aimed at him.

Obi-Wan approached her. "Don't give in to anger."

"I'm not bound by your Jedi rules!"

"Sabé…"

"You can't stop me!"

"I'm not trying to stop you," he said gently. "I'm trying to get you to stop yourself."

Sabé's eyes still narrowed at Derrin. "You don't know what he's like. He's scum."

"That hurts, Sabé," Derrin said sarcastically.

"No," she replied, firing at his arm. "_That _hurts."

"Sabé!" Obi-Wan slipped an edge of warning into his voice. "Please."

She shifted her gaze to look at him. Derrin took the opportunity to snatch the blaster from her hand with his uninjured arm. Without hesitation he pulled the trigger. Like lightning, Obi-Wan activated his lightsabre and reflected the bolt away, bringing the blade down to slash through the pistol.

A desperate man, fuelled by his anger, Derrin made another attempt at attacking Sabé. Her handmaiden training coming back to her, she reacted quickly, turning to flip him over her head and off the roof. His body landed with a sickening crack in the plaza below. She walked over to the edge to look and nodded, satisfied that her tormentor was finally gone.

Obi-Wan turned to her, as close to angry as a Jedi could get. "Why?" he asked. "You didn't have to kill him."

"I did," she whispered. "You don't know what he was. He would have…he would have always been there, watching me. It was the only way."

"But why? You were so dear to me, Sabé. I loved you."

She looked at him, tears shining in her eyes. "I love you, Obi-Wan, I do."

"How can I trust anything you say?"

On the steps behind them, guards ran into view, led by Captain Panaka. "Sabé Silvestri, you are under arrest for attempted abduction of the Queen of Naboo and murder of a citizen of Theed."

Sabé turned and walked towards her fate, calm and resigned to it. She paused when she reached Padmé. "This is yours, your Highness," she said, holding up an object she had retrieved from Derrin's coat as he had fallen. "I think you'll find the other is a fake." Perhaps she hadn't been that bad at sleight of hand, after all.

Obi-Wan moved over to see what she had left in the Queen's palm. It was the Jewel of Zenda.

_Mustafar._

_Present Day._

_You were my brother, Anakin. I loved you._

_You were so dear to me, Sabé. I loved you. _

Approaching the sleek Nubian ship, Obi-Wan could still hear the echo of those words. They still hurt now.

He had been amazed by the cool manner in which she had managed to recover the jewel from Derrin's coat whilst flipping him over the barrier. Then the way she had simply handed it over to Padmé, as if nothing unusual had taken place. It had been the reaction of a true criminal who knew they were caught. He hadn't really appreciated how much that realisation hurt him.

She had been taken to Theed's high security prison. He had visited her there the following day and persuaded her to tell him the whole story. He had left Naboo unsure if her affection had been real. In his heart of hearts he knew it had been genuine, but his cynical side kept him from believing it. She had spoken of her love affecting her job. At the time he had assumed she meant her role as handmaiden, but soon realised that she was referring to her work with Derrin. He wasn't sure what sentence she received for her crimes, but he had a strong feeling that it was life in prison.

He pulled his attention back to the present. Greeting the ever-faithful C-3P0 at the ramp, Obi-Wan entered the ship to take care of a friend that was linked to both his loved ones; Sabé's queen, Anakin's wife, the injured Padmé Amidala.

_Tantive IV._

_One week later._

In the days following Padmé's death and Yoda's exile to Dagobah, Obi-Wan once more found his mind turning to Sabé, wondering what she would say to know her one-time employer was dead. He hoped that she would care.

_Tantive _was sent all the documents relevant for a Senator of the new Empire's usage. Bail Organa of Alderaan dutifully read through them, expressing his irritation at some of the self-appointed Emperor's decisions. Obi-Wan too read it and was appalled to see that the Emperor planned to hunt down and kill any remaining Jedi Knights.

"He's planning to murder hundreds of people," Bail said in disgust, offering the data pad for Obi-Wan to see.

"In order to make room in establishments, prisoners with long-term sentences will be sent to work in mines on Corellia, Hapes, Circarpous V and Bandomeer," the Jedi read out.

"The average life expectancy for a miner on Circarpous V is 3.5 years after their arrival there," Bail told him. "The others aren't much better."

"As a solution to increasing population, prisoners serving sentences for murder and manslaughter will be executed," Obi-Wan read, the inevitable creeping into his mind. He lowered the data pad, brow creased in thought. Faced with a sudden decision, his mind finally allowed him to acknowledge what he knew to be true.

He stood up. Bail looked up at him expectantly and he said in a decided tone, "I need to go with you when you take Padmé's body back to Naboo."

_Naboo._

_Three days later._

Sabé Silvestri was worried. Since the news of the birth of the Empire had reached Theed, her fellow prisoners had been disappearing. Several members of her father's gang had been taken out and shot.

Following the events on the palace roof thirteen years ago and the death of Derrin, Seb, Jon and Marius had disowned her. It had saddened her at first, especially coupled with her regrets about getting involved in the first place. She still heard news about them now and then. Seb had recently died, she'd heard, a victim of a clone trooper's blaster. Sabé felt very little remorse. Jon was in hiding somewhere with his three girlfriends and their children. Marius was probably with him.

Sabé had seen Marius four years ago when he had been imprisoned for six months for attempting to steal an artefact from Theed Museum. He hadn't said much to her.

She continually thought back to Obi-Wan, wondering what he was doing and if he forgave her. She heard stories during the Clone Wars about the Jedi team of Kenobi and Skywalker. They had made her smile. She instinctively knew that he would have survived what Palpatine was calling the Jedi Purge. She lived in hope anyway. But now that the prisoners' disappearances were making her fret, she longed to see him more than ever. Just once more before she died, as she was convinced that some day soon the firing squad would come for her.

An acquaintance in the next cell had given her a tip-off that morning and in light of it she was preparing for this afternoon to be her last. She had more regrets than she ever wished for, not apologising to Obi-Wan being the one that was bothering her most. But her hours were numbered. The last thing she ever expected was a visitor.

"Silvestri," the guard barked, "someone to see you. Make it quick."

Sabé approached the bars of her cell to see a hooded and cloaked figure making its way towards her. "Jon? Marius?" she asked cautiously, knowing it was neither.

The figure stood close to the bars and she moved closer. He looked up at her and she saw a pair of vivid blue eyes. "Obi-Wan!" she whispered. "Thank Gods you're alive! What are you doing here? You must leave, it's not safe for you."

He smiled as her selfless words confirmed the truth of her affection. "I've come to break you out."

She stared, thinking he had lost his mind. "What?"

"Your life is in danger."

"I know. They're coming for me soon. Does this mean you forgive me?"

He met her eyes. "I forgave you a long time ago, it just took me a while to realise it."

She gripped his hand. "And you believe that I was telling you the truth?"

He nodded. "Yes."

She smiled and was about to say something else, but he silenced her. "There isn't much time. They were preparing when I came in."

Sabé looked down at her hands. "No, I should face up to this. Now that I know you forgive me I can go with a lighter heart."

The old woman in the opposite cell had been keenly listening in to the conversation and took the opportunity to intervene. "Sabé, child, what you did was nothing compared to the rest of us in here. Take me, for example, I deserve to be here, I've killed more people than I can count, including some that got in the way when I worked for your father. You've served your time and I daresay you've repented. It's too late for me to do that, not to mention pointless. I never regretted a thing, so I'm paying for it now and I don't care a jot. It's my time anyway. Now, as a friend and a superior, I'm ordering you to stop being noble and listen to this young gentleman here."

Several nearby occupants concurred and Sabé was once again struck by their loyalty and bizarre sense of justice. She nodded and turned to Obi-Wan. "What must I do?"

He closed his eyes and placed a palm over the keypad at her door. Sensing the right code he quickly punched the numbers in. The bars slid aside and Sabé stepped out. She hurried over to thank the old woman before returning to Obi-Wan.

He slipped a pair of wrist binders over her hands. "Follow my lead."

Without another word, he marched her through the corridors. Whenever they met a guard, Obi-Wan would use some Jedi mind trick to fool them into thinking it was a prisoner transfer. As they walked through the main doors, Sabé tried to hide her joy at being outside again, but she couldn't help the delighted smile that graced her features.

As soon as they were out of sight of the prison they began running, as they both knew that Sabé's escape would not remain undiscovered for long. Obi-Wan led Sabé through the trees that lined Theed's outskirts, eventually stopping at a clearing in which there sat a small two-seater fighter.

"A parting gift from Bail Organa," Obi-Wan said.

"Bail Organa?" Sabé repeated. "The senator? Why?"

Obi-Wan turned to look at her, tugging down his hood and moving to unclasp the binders. Sabé took in the changes to his appearance. His hair was longer and he had grown a beard, but she decided she liked it. The only thing she didn't like was the haunted look in his once-bright eyes.

"I have a lot to tell you," Obi-Wan remarked. "Luckily, where we're going provides us with a fairly long journey."

"Where are we going?" Sabé asked, still studying the noble and handsome man that the Padawan she had once known had become.

"Tatooine," he replied, watching her. She was paler than she had been thirteen years ago and thinner. Her regulation prison outfit of grey wasn't flattering and her hair had been hacked short. But she was still beautiful and, he knew it now, still the same girl…woman he had fallen in love with all those years ago.

"Tatooine? Tourist attraction Tatooine?"

He smiled, remembering that conversation. "The same." His tone grew more serious and he met her gaze. "I'm a wanted man now. All Jedi are enemies of state. Most are dead. I must go into exile on Tatooine." He took her hand. "And so must you. The Emperor passed a law declaring all prisoners serving life for murder are to be executed. Knowing the circumstances as I do, I couldn't let that happen to you. I thought it would be better if you came with me instead. I know I've made the decision for you, but–"

"Of course I'll come with you," she said smiling, eyes shining with happy tears at the unexpected second chance she had been given. "If you'll have me."

"It's better than being on the run," he retorted, returning her smile.

"Being on the run with you wouldn't be too bad."

They stood for a moment, gazing at each other, learning each other all over again. Then Sabé broke into a little run towards him, throwing her arms around his neck. He laughed and held her. She pulled back to smile at him. He reached a hand up to smooth her cheek and leaned in to meet her lips. His hand moved to trail through her shortened locks and she returned his kiss. When they broke apart, Obi-Wan kissed the end of her nose and she smiled.

Footsteps crashing through the undergrowth caused the two to spring into action. Together, they ran to the ship, making a hasty retreat away from Naboo.

Two fugitives heading for exile on tourist-friendly Tatooine that now did not seem so bad. Words spoken in pain in the past were replaced by sweeter words of the present. And a repeated phrase was at last lifted out of the past tense.

_I loved you._

_I loved you._

_I love you.  
_

* * *

**A/N: **Well, that's all folks. Hopefully it won't be too long until the Sobiwan bug bites again! May the Force be with you : ) 


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